Canon PIXMA MG3060 Ink Cartridges
Your Canon PIXMA MG3060 uses the PG-645, PG-645XL, CL-646, CL-646XL cartridge series, a reliable two-cartridge system containing one black ink and one tri-colour ink. Ideal as a home or student printer, this setup often exhibits unequal colour consumption. If you print colourful school assignments or web pages, a single depleted colour shade inside the shared tri-colour tank will require replacing the entire colour unit, even if the other chambers still contain ink.
What to expect from each cartridge type
Page outputs for these inkjet cartridges are measured using the industry-standard ISO/IEC 24711 test suite, which simulates continuous document printing. The standard-capacity PG-645 black and CL-646 colour tanks are best suited for infrequent printing to avoid ink drying out in the nozzles. For students and home users with consistent weekly printing needs, upgrading to the high-yield PG-645XL and CL-646XL cartridges offers over double the page output, reducing the frequency of physical replacements and offering a lower cost per page.
| Cartridge Number | Type | Colour | Page Yield | Cost Per Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG-645 | Standard | Black | 180 | $0.14 |
| CL-646 | Standard | Colour | 180 | $0.19 |
| PG-645XL | High Yield | Black | 400 | $0.11 |
| CL-646XL | High Yield | Colour | 400 | $0.11 |
Cost Per Page = Total Cartridge Price ÷ Page Yield (at 5% coverage)
Choosing between genuine and compatible options
For users focused on managing their household print budget, compatible cartridges represent an exceptional alternative to original printer manufacturer replacements. Under Australian Consumer Law, using compatible cartridges does not void your printer warranty. You can read more about how third-party cartridges work on our genuine vs compatible blog. Every compatible PG-645XL and CL-646XL cartridge we supply is manufactured to strict ISO quality standards to ensure flawless text clarity and vibrant graphics.
Choosing the right cartridge setup
If your daily printing consists mostly of monochromatic black-and-white documents, purchasing individual PG-645XL black ink cartridges is the most efficient approach. However, for households printing a mixture of colour worksheets and school reports, opting for a bundled value pack is highly recommended. These convenient bundles combine the black and tri-colour cartridges into a single package, offering a lower overall price point than buying them separately. All compatible options come with a full money-back guarantee should they fail to meet expectations.
Free delivery applies on all orders over $99 (conditions apply). To ensure your printer never runs out of ink right before an assignment is due, we ship orders rapidly from our extensive network of warehouses situated in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Browse our full range of Canon ink cartridges to find the right supplies for your printer. For more details on returning unused items, please review our returns policy.
Pro Tip
Because the Canon PIXMA MG3060 uses a printhead integrated directly onto the cartridge rather than built into the printer body, replacing either the PG-645 or CL-646 cartridge completely replaces the printhead mechanism. If you encounter persistent banding, clogged nozzles, or faded lines that cannot be cleared by the software cleaning utility, installing a new cartridge will instantly resolve the print quality issue by providing brand-new micro-nozzles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install a PG-645XL high-capacity black cartridge if my printer currently has a standard PG-645?
Yes, high-capacity XL cartridges are physically identical in size and shape to standard-capacity cartridges. They slot into the exact same carriage inside your printer, containing a larger volume of ink to deliver more than double the prints.
Why does my colour printout look incorrect when the ink level monitor shows colour ink is still available?
The CL-646 is a tri-colour cartridge housing yellow, magenta, and cyan inks together. If one colour is completely exhausted (such as yellow, due to printing heavy green or orange graphics), the cartridge cannot produce accurate colour mixes. The printer will require a brand-new CL-646 cartridge even if ink remains in the cyan or magenta chambers.
Can I run the Canon PIXMA MG3060 with only the black cartridge installed?
The printer requires both a black (PG-645/XL) and a colour (CL-646/XL) cartridge physically installed in the carriage for the printer to complete its startup self-check. If one cartridge is missing, the printer will display an error code and refuse to print. However, if the colour ink is empty, you can adjust your computer print settings to grayscale to print temporary black-only documents.
